A group of suspected cultists attacked a football viewing centre on Coca-Cola Road in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State on Wednesday night, killing a 19-year-old boy and injuring two others.
The incident reportedly happened around 9:05 p.m. while people were watching a football match.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, saying the attackers suddenly appeared and began shooting randomly, causing panic among the crowd.
“They just came out of nowhere and started shooting. People ran in all directions. It felt like a war zone,” one witness told Newsmen anonymously.
The 19-year-old victim, whose identity has not been officially confirmed, was reportedly shot in the head and died on the spot.
“He was lying in a pool of blood. It was a terrifying sight,” the witness added.
The two other victims, who sustained gunshot injuries, were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Another eyewitness, whose wife owns a shop nearby, said, “I heard gunshots and rushed back. A young man had been hit by a stray bullet and was lying on the ground.”
He added that he informed police officers conducting a stop-and-search operation under the A-Division bridge.
“I met some officers and told them what happened. They said they would head to the scene,” he said.
As of the time this report was filed, it remained unclear how much the police had done in response to the incident.
Efforts to get a response from the Kwara State Police spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, were unsuccessful as she did not answer calls or reply to a text message.
